A thrilling and funny supernatural mystery series, packed with magic, cats, and murder! Perfect for fans of Stephanie Plum, Agatha Raisin, Sabrina, and Supernatural. Not many people move to Wormwood.
The witches aren’t welcoming.
The fortunetellers are frauds.
And the recent murder is only going to make things worse.
Hazel Salem just wanted a story for her magazine. Instead, she finds herself at … things worse.
Hazel Salem just wanted a story for her magazine. Instead, she finds herself at the centre of an investigation that’s about to turn into a witch hunt.
If someone doesn’t solve this murder – and fast – it will be out of the cauldron and into the fire for Wormwood’s witches.
If you love talking cats, smart mysteries, and snarky humour, you’ll love this series. Pick up these page-turning witch mysteries today!
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Fun to read! Couldn’t stop.
In general I appreciate books that are well edited, with few if no spelling, or grammatical errors. These books accomplish that. They were also entertaining, and enjoyable.
I kinda love witch books. Wish I had some awesome powers. These books were fun and entertaining. Good light reading.
Didn’t like the characters. Didn’t like the plot. Didn’t like the narrative style. Didn’t like the setting or paranormal narrow mindedness. Deleted the set after struggling through the first book.
Fun reading!
Interesting read. I enjoyed the set I read, not sure I would read any more right now
Not my taste. Got tired of it in the middle of Book 2
Interesting story, characters grow with each book
Paranormal or Supernatural Suspense is what I like and this series was fun and enjoyable. Books were a little on the short side. Barely 200-240 pages.
Great reading. Couldn’t wait to read each one.
Take went down hill especially last in series
Great series but be forewarned – you may not be able to pace yourself and go from one book to the next without stopping unless you have a more highly developed willpower than I do.
This is an absolute blast to read! Hazel is a witch who follows the beat of a different drummer. She is funny, down to earth, and very different. Her familiar, a black cat named Hemlock, is a smart aleck and snarky pain in Hazel’s neck. His misadventures in casting spells are freaking hilarious! For a rollicking and funny read try this set! One of my favorites!
This collection of British witch cozy mystery series, packed with magic, cats, and murder, will keep you entertained. Below is a review of one of the books to give you an idea of what’s waiting for you!
*** Reviewing “FEVERFEW AND FALSE FRIENDS” ***
Hazel was on her way to Helen’s house to deliver some tea she had formulated to help treat her migraines. Along the way, Jesse joined her, not taking any of her hints to go away. Hazel tried the door since the doorbell might aggravate the headache, and she saw it was unlocked. As soon as she and Jesse stepped into the dark room, she smelled the blood. Jesse turned on a light that revealed lots of blood and gouges in the hardwood floor – but no body. He took off through the house looking for Helen. In the kitchen, it appeared that an animal had dragged her body out the door. The same claw marks were visible in the kitchen. And Hazel found a note on the counter that said “made a mistake”. A crumbled ball of paper had writing that implied someone was blackmailing the victim. They saw a trail from the kitchen to the Wormwood Forest. Jesse pulled out his phone and called the police.
The activity level in this third book is definitely increasing, giving the reader a ton of loose ends to manage. Hazel’s Aunt Linda is in trouble with the Witch Council and Hazel hopes to rescue her somehow. She also needs to give attention to keeping her coven on track. Jesse is hanging around and Hazel somehow isn’t sure it’s a good thing that his eyes are the same color as hers – whatever that might imply! And a serious situation has her worried when two witches have now disappeared, somehow related to an animal attack. How will she manage to keep everything moving in the right direction? How will she discover the identity of the murderer – without becoming a victim herself? And what does one do with a hellhound???
The author did a great job with this book. I was impressed with the great amount of detail that actually made the story very realistic. The dialog among the characters was very natural and flowed well. Relationships were quickly established and it was easy to determine friends, acquaintances, irritating people, and such. When an author allows a reader to “live” through the action rather than reciting what one should think or feel, it pulls the reader right into the story line. Altogether, this makes for an excellent mystery that the reader participates in with the main characters. Definitely an excellent choice for your reading pleasure!
The Witches of Wormwood:
Mandrake and a Murder #1 – Takes place about six months after Hemlock and Hedge ended. There are a lot of secrets and surprises included in this fast paced, intriguing story. More characters join the cast, some good and some intriguing and some not very nice to be polite. The storylines twist here and there and some are concluded, while others carry into the next book – but no cliffhangers, just teases of what’s to come. It’s hard to pick a favorite characters since there are quite a few that are endearing or just plain loveable. There are more likeable characters but the nasty ones make themselves known. 5*
Vervain and a Victim #2 – Getting better with each addition. I knew Jesse wasn’t an angel nor did I think he was the devil himself. Missed not seeing Hedge, but he’s there. Got a lot of happenings in this story filled with intrigue, suspense and a touch of humor. The characters are filling out more as their roles increase. There are several surprises or kinks in this well thought out, fast paced story. Ms. Loren does a great job with her descriptions, her storylines and that snooty cat. The Aunties are giving a little bit or two about Hazel or events, but they’re involved in a bit of trouble; the ending isn’t exactly a cliffhanger, but a heads up to rough sailing ahead. I contacted the author to review her books. 4*
Feverfew and False Friends #3 – Very dark and intriguing and fun. This may be my favorite and it is more substantial with its storylines, but I’ll see what the next addition to the series brings. The continuous and new storylines are interesting; some keep developing the original theme and some bring more mysteries of the future. Same old characters, with one or two new added to the mix, that are becoming more rounded. There are plenty of doggies; OK, hellhounds that add an original twist, which I loved. The mysteries were good, but I actually like the confusion and tension that Hazel has to deal with about herself and her coven and a few others. 4*
Belladonna and a Body #4 – With every series Ms. Loren pens each addition to that series grows in substance. This book is no exception. Always well written with multiple storylines that weave in and out of the series, the storylines of this book adds to the intrigue and suspense of the past, present and future of the characters. The characters run the gamut from the good to the bad; the sweet to the sour; and the personalities have emotions running the gamut. The dialog is always realistic and the good guys aren’t following the stupidity formula, so common today, to get into trouble.
Ms. Loren uses her immense talents and her imagination to weave a fabric thick with interest to keep the reader bound in the pages. Her mysteries are better than the usual cozy; not sure if Ms. Loren writes cozies, truthfully, going by comparisons to cozies I’ve read. Sorry, if this review is more in line with the series than the individual book, but after writing so many reviews on a series, a book report wants to leap out about the twists and turns. I want the other readers to enjoy the book as I did, fresh and undiscovered. While not a cliffhanger, the next book is being set up. I contacted the author to review her books. 5*
Aconite and Accusations #5 – Another good addition to a good series by a good author. After writing so many reviews about a series sometimes it is too easy to slip into a book report mode. Aconite is interesting and intriguing and Ms. Loren always gives a substantial read. Each book in this series (like all her series) improves from the last. I have seen this author blossom into a talented, skilled storyteller giving more than is expected. The characters are believable as is their dialog and there is always unexpected happenings. I contacted this author to review her books and have never been disappointed; surprised sometimes, yes. 5*
Hemlock and Hedge, Prequel – A different approach to starting life as a witch after the death of her mother sets up the foundation in this introductory prequel. Basic development of characters but since this is a series, Ms. Loren will be having plenty of character growth as the series progresses. Interesting storylines, which of course will develop more, too.
Again there’s an interesting animal involved; the familiar is a hoot with intelligence. Working together although unbeknownst to Hazel, she and Aziraphale solve the mystery. Aziraphale’s secret comes out along with other secrets. There’s good suspense and intrigue, and the thought process used to solve the mystery is good, but Ms. Loren writes more substantial plots than the usual cozy genre. I contacted the author to review her books. 4*
The Witches of Wormwood end.
What a wonderfully Witchy series! These great books had me on the edge of my seat well into the night. The writing is very skillful, with a tight plot and great 2 and 4-legged characters. Highly recommended! I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.
This box set is fantastic. The characters are fun to read and grow with. It is well written and very original. I highly recommend it.
Mandrake and a Murder is an interesting mystery. Hazel has been in Wormwood six months and her store and magazine are not yet profitable. Two women claiming to be her aunts have moved in with her. Then there is a murder. Wormwood has not had a murder in 100 years. Hazel decides to investigate for an article for her magazine. There are conflicting symbols at the murder scene. It appears someone is trying to put the blame on anyone with a special talent. Does someone want to destroy the town or only those with special powers? Will Hazel ever come into her powers or is she really not a witch? With lots of suspects, and plenty of odd occurrences, you should be kept guessing until the end when all is revealed. If you are looking for a fun mystery, I recommend this one.
This series picks up speed with Vervain and a Victim. Hazel’s magic continues to puzzle her. Hazel stumbles across another body in the woods who turn’s out to be Wormwood’s blackmailer. The mayor is making more shady deals. In other words. it is business as usual. I found it impossible to put down this book. If you are a fan of paranormal mystery series, Do not miss The Witches of Wormwood!
In Feverfew and False Friends there is more going on than usual. Aunt Linda has been taken by the Witch Council, 2 witches have disappeared and it looks like animal attacks again, Hazel discovers her eyes are the same color as Jessie’s and a new lawyer in town, there is coven business to conduct, a shop to run and a plan to rescue Aunt Linda. Phew! As always, there is a well written plot with lots of false trails. You do not want to miss this adventure!
Belladonna and a Body is a possibly the best book in the series. Many members of the Salem family arrive in town to work at a shop set up to run Hazel’s business into the ground. Then a murder, set up to frame Hazel, sets off a ton of activity. With the usual interesting cast of characters, many questions are answered and the stage is set for the next book. This mystery kept me turning pages far too late into the night. Plan enough time to read it in one setting.
Aconite and Accusations is an excellent book. Will this be the end of Wormwood? All indications are that Hazel and friends will be unable to stop this destruction. As if that is not enough to deal with Hazel finds another body! The mayor’s influence continues to grow and he seems to know about and be able to thwart any attempts to “dethrone” him. This book grabbed me by page two and would not let go until I finished it! With the usual characters, another cat, and some surprise appearances, this well written tale of magic and deceit should keep even the pickiest reader entertained.
This is an exceptional series.
These witches are bitchy-witchy!
Welcome to Wormwood, where the coven is a little evil and a lot annoying and so is this newfound witch’s familiar – of course a little bad is kinda a given with any feline- though he is far from typical
Realm crossing, KU, ideology and life reshaping- and just a lot of gobsmacking fun!
For fans of intense adventures and snark!
Refreshing, Fun, and Interesting Paranormal Cozy Mysteries
This is a fun set of stories that are best read in order, so buying the whole set is the greatest way to go. And binge read! While the basic story is witches and their familiars, the story arc goes way beyond that. It includes treachery in the coven, devils and their dogs, and a double-dealing Witch Council. There is also a bleed through to another of the author’s series. The humor is quite snarky and the mysteries stay in the cozy realm. I have so enjoyed these books that I binge read them every so often. This is one of my favorite authors and I know you will love her work.